Nursing 360: Nursing Models

Components of nursing models

At a basic level, there are three key components to a nursing model:

• A set of beliefs and values;
• A statement of the goal the nurse is trying to achieve;
• The knowledge and skills the nurse needs to practice (Pearson et al, 1996).

An important first step in the development of ideas about nursing was to try and identify the core concepts central to nursing, then to identify the beliefs and values around those. After extensive debate, there was some favor shown to the idea that nursing consists of four key concepts: person, health, environment, and nursing.

Nursing models may have these four concepts as their cornerstones but each describes them a little differently. For example, the sets of beliefs and values might be different and hence the goal of nursing and the knowledge and skills required might vary.

Murphy, F., Williams, A., & Pridmore, J. A. (2010). Nursing models and contemporary nursing 1: their development, uses and limitations. Nursing times, 106(23), 1820. [Available in print in Briggs Library: LOWER LEVEL ; 610.7305 N93912]

To find nursing models within the Briggs Library Catalog, search Nursing Models